The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-27
LoNDoNs GREAT JENKINS.
A Sketch of Sir Algernon Borthwick,
Editor of the Morning Post"
From the Neae York World.

From the Near York World.
At the London Press Club dinner the
other night saw Sir Algernon Borthwick,
the editor of the Morning Post, aud men
ton of him comes in very properly in dis
cussing social topics. The Morning Post is
the fashionable organ of London society.
1t is well written, clearly printed paper.
IL prints the Reuter- kilograms and a few
specials from the continental cities. Its
advertising patronage is very large. The
feature OF the Morning Post, however is
the printing Of social news. 1t is the one
paper which prints the court circular every
day in full, wherein the movements Of the
Queen and different members of
with the hack phrases Of the
market reports in the American newspapers.
ball or reception is not considered fash
ionable unless it is reported in the Post.
was told at this dinner by an old London
journalist that this kind of. fashionable in
telllgence was the source of a great revenue
to the paper, and that its method of print
ing this kind of news was unquestioned and
accepted as matter of course by the men,
bers OF London society. Every notice of the
movement OF people is paid for at so much
line. Reports of parties and dinners are
charged for at space rates. If the Hon.
John Smith wishes to cast gloom over
society by the announcement that he is
about to leave London for o few days TO go
to the country, or if he wishes to thrill don
don society with the announcement TINT his
wife will be at home on certain days, these
bits of intelligence can be communicated
to the public at the rate of one
guinea for a paragraph of five lines.
Another friend of mine told me
later that the space rates of the Morning
Post for society reports was about IS
guineas column. He found this out one
day. A wealthy tradesman from Vienna,
who came to London to be married was
very anxious to have report of the mar
riage printed in the Morning Post. He
came to this friend and asked him if he
could arrange it. He replied that he thought
SO, as he knew one of the sub-editors of the
Post. He called upon him and asked him
about it. Certainly" said he, sits mere
matter of business. 1t is very easily arranged.
How much would your friend liker' "A
third of a column will do him." ''That
will cost 25 guineas." The amount was
handed over and the next morning the
Vienna merchant was thrilled with pride
and JOY at the sugar-coated paragraphs
giving the account of the wedding, with
the names of the distinguished people
present and toilets of the ladies.
Sir Algernon Borthwick is member of
Parliament and the editor of paper whose
power is almost distinctly social. 1t is said
that the manuscript upon which all the
copy Of his office is prepared is pink tinted
and that it is written with violet-colored
and perfumed ink by elegant young men
who sit in the Office late at night in evening
dress, and prepare with languid ease these
guinea paragraphs which have made Sir
Algernon a proud member of Parliament
and very wealthy business man. Sir AL
gernon Borthwick, at the London Press
Club dinner, maintained throughout the
banquet his character as a high So
cial magnate. He wore lilac kid gloves
all through the dinner 1t is said that he
is the only man in London society who
always wears lilac kid gloves. l do not
know whether he sleeps in them or not. He
is the only man who persistently wears
them through every dinner to which he is
invited. He has a small figure, round
head, slightly inclined to be bald. His hair
is dark and partly gray. His complexion is
a clear olive. His eyes are a dark blue,
deeply set under bullying forehead His
nose is slight pug. 1t is serious flaw in
the aristocratic repose of his high society
face. The lower part of his countenance is,
hidden by mustache and full iron-gray
beard.